The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-11
a beautiful green Canton Grape, and a

squire BaSSett was Jne rlcneSl
man in town. He lived in n great
two-story house, painted white, anc
such beautiful garden, iull OF rose.
and peonies, hollyhocks and pinks,
and there were currant and goose
berry bushes, and all kinds OF herbs,
parsley, caraway, coriander, sage
and summer savory, and great or
chard stretched away up the hill back
OF the house. 1t was fixe1 up nice III
side the house, too, for those days.
The parlor walls were stained yellow,
with u border OF flowers done with
black paint, and there was an English
carpet, the only one in town, and
sofa, and in the Fireplace stood somt
great brass andirons, but the parloi
wasn't any better according than thu
| rest OF the house. 1t was full OF every
thing nice. Mrs. Bassett kept u Cir
spinning flax all the time, and suct
piles OF towels, table and bed linen at
she had. guess you will think | an
never going to get to the slelghrlde,
| but | am coming toit."
"Oh, | enjoy hearing about the way
| they lived so long ago. 1t must have
| been fun to spin on those little ila1
wheels. Mother has one in the attic
now, that was grandmas."
"Well, it was pretty work; used tc
be a famous flax spinner. Folks used
to get me to spin their fine thread
But as | was saying, Squire Bassett's
folks had everything that was nice
but that don't hinder trouble from
coming, and they had their share, FOL
out OF four beautiful children, only
one son lived to grow up, and they
just worshiped him. Thomas, or Ton
Bassett, Us he was called, was as nict
n young man rs there was in Chester
and he was as handsome a a picture
with his black hair and eyes. He was
| tall and broad-shouldered and stood
square on his feet rs man ought to
Squire Bassett and his wife had de
cided that Nancy Holmes was just the
one for Tom to marry. She belonged
to the family and had money; so evei
since Fancy came to live with them
they had been trying to make n match
between them, and Nancy was Willing
enough, but they nil knew Toms heart
was set on Ruth Davis, and had beer
ever since they were children together
But Ruth was n poor girl. Her father
was n shoemaker, and they lived in d
little house with only three rooms
and Ruth had 10 90 out spinning, and
ii she was as pretty as a pink, and as
good as she was pretty, they thought
she was no match for Squire Bassett's
son.
"When the sleighride was talked Of
we all wondered which Tom would
take, Nancy or Ruth, but we soon
found out he was going with Nancy.
presume his folks made such u fus:
he couldn't Help it. Ruth was goinl
with 10 Green who was rs much in
love with her as Tom was. We al
ways called them the rivals.
"There couldn't have been n better
time for n sleighride than that after
noon we started for Morse's tavern.
There had not any snow fallen foi
some time and the road was trodden
down as smooth and hard as n floor.
There were twenty couples OF us Tom
Bassett with his span OF handsome
black horses with Nancy tucked into
the sleigh beside him took the lead.
ave Just skinned over hesnow ana
just as it began to grow dark we came
in sight OF Morse's tavern. 1t was a
low, rambling, old building, with a
broad piazza across the front. The
ruddy glow OF the fires shone cheerlly
through the windows making pleas
ant sight after ride OF ten miles
ave had Just time to take OIL our
wraps and get warm before the fire
that was swapping and Daring up the
great old chimney when wewere called
! to supper. And such supper Folks
knew how to cook III those days.
BY the time we had finished
supper they had got the hall
lighted and the musicians were
tuning their violirs. II wasn't much
OF a hall. at least you wouldnot think
so, and it was lighted with tallow can
dies and the music was only two vlo'
Inns, but we had Just as good time as
the young folks do now with great
halls lighted with gas, and bands g
music.
1--WE danced contra dances and reels
till ten O'Clock, when it was time to GO
home. had noticed all the evening
that Ruth did not take notice OF Tom
Bassett. She seemed all taken mp with
10 Green. This vexed Tom, forusuaL
ly Ruth didn't seem to care for any
one but him. | saw him looking at
Ruth and 10 and his eyes fairly blazed
"While we girls were putting ON ou
things the young men won't Tor the
horses. Nancy, Ruth and got ready
first and stepped out on to thepiazza'
The moon was shining as bright rs
dov